1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices that actuate sliding panels such as doors, windows and the like and, in particular, to those devices that are automated and removably mountable to the frame of the sliding panel without altering the frame, the surrounding wall structure or the floor.
2. Background of the Invention
Use of automated devices to open and close sliding doors, windows, or gates are known. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,334,981 to Ackley, 3,403,474 to Spasoff, 3,533,188 to Jones et al., 3,890,744 to Galis, 3,981,203 to Williams, 4,050,189 to Peterson, 4,067,144 to Ogishi, 4,272,921 to Jorgensen, 4,322,913 to Himmer, 4,336,670 to Brutosky, 4,541,202 to Dockery, 4,577,577 to Eriksson, 4,604,826 to Sorbe, 4,885,872 to Chang et al., 4,891,111 to Yung, 4,893,435 to Shalit and The Horton Automatics publication having a 1988 reprint date.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,744 to Galis discloses a floor mounted apparatus for operating a sliding door. The apparatus includes a housing affixed to the floor with screws. An endless belt disposed within the housing includes a plate which extends from the housing to coact with a bracket affixed to the sliding door by screws.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,202 to Dockery discloses an apparatus for operating a sliding door by employing a pair of elongated bars. An end of one bar is secured to a stationery structure adjacent the door by bolts and an adjustable connection at an end of the other bar is secured to the sliding door frame by bolts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,435 to Shalit discloses a device for automatically opening a sliding door and includes a housing attached by screws to the floor across the full width of the door. An endless belt disposed within the housing is attached to the sliding door at the lower portion thereof with a bracket. The bracket includes a plate having pressure-sensitive adhesive on both sides for attaching the plate to a select position on the door.
Sensing devices to control a sliding door are also known and are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,621,452 to Deeg, 4,823,010 to Kornbrekke and 4,866,881 to Morrow et al.
The devices discussed above require, in most instances, intricate wiring and assembly steps for installation at a desired location for operation. In addition, all of the devices require that the door frame, and sometimes the sill or jamb, or surrounding wall area, be structurally altered for the devices to be mounted for operation.
When the known devices are removed from their original mounting, one or more of the surrounding wall area, frame, jamb or sill exhibit holes that were required to mount each device. If it is required that the device be remounted for operation, more than likely the existing holes and altered areas of the surrounding wall structure would have to be rebuilt or filled so that the devices could be retrofitted to the existing door frame assembly or wall structure for operation.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,890,744, 4,541,202 and 4,893,435 require, in their respective applications, that the door frame or surrounding wall structure be breached when mounting the operator device for operation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,202 to Dockery requires that the door frame and surrounding wall structure be breached to mount the operator, despite disclosing that related devices require substantial reconstruction of the mounting track and surrounding structure. In this regard, Dockery has not really solved the problem identified of having a removably mountable sliding door operator that is retrofitable without altering the wall structure.
The known devices also rely on the structural integrity of the surrounding wall or door frame for mounting purposes, and consequently, these areas must be strong enough to support the known devices and withstand any structural alteration that may be required to mount the known devices.
The known devices also consist of many parts and in some cases, intricate electrical wiring and hydraulic systems which for the most part restrict their mounting to those individuals knowledgeable with the mounting requirements for these type of devices. Because of their complicated structure, the known devices do not lend themselves well to kit form for assembly and disassembly, storage and transport.
The devices disclosed in the Galis, Dockery and Shalit patents have the added disadvantage of being mounted such that they represent an obstacle to be avoided at or near the passageway provided by the sliding door.